Improvement in book-binding apparatus



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRA REYNOLDS, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO REYNOLDS & REYNOLDS, OF

SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOK-BINDING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 116,757, dated July 4, 1871.

To all lwhom ,it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA REYNOLDS, of Dayton, in the State of Ohio, have invented a novel method of making books and certain machinery and apparatus for making books preparatory to binding; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawing which accompanies and forms part of this specification, is a description of my invention, suflicient to enable those skilled in the art to practice it.

My invention relates to the preparation for binding of blank or other books of any kind which are susceptible of being stabbed and sewed or fastened together without folding the paper, and it consists in the special mechanism which I have contrived for that purpose, the books produced thereby having each a back with ribs, adapted to be slidden into and held tightly by a rigid back of a removable cover, such, substantially, as is shown in my patent No. 98,191, dated December 2l, 1869.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is aperspective view of my apparatus. Eig. 2 is a transverse section through the center ofthe preparatory-Shaper and fmishing-shaper, and through the table. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the perforating apparatus and its table and guide-bar or rib. Fig. 4 represents the sheets of paper in the clamping-frame after the paper has been perforated and the upper part of the clamp removed. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the lines at which the sheets are stabbed or perforated, the lines at which they are severed into rows of books, and also the lines at which the books are trimmed, and Fig. 6 is a cross-section of the clampingframe and the paper held therein.

A is a clamping-frame, formed, as shown, in two separate parts, 1 2, and of as many sections and spaces as may be desired, to produce any number of books, each section being as wide as the length or width of any book desired to be made, less that portion which is to receive the perforations; or they maybe made twice this size, with two lines of holes to be made in the sheets between any two sections of the frame, in which case the books, when severed apart, as hereinafter stated, will be cut in a line central between two lines of perforations, and also in a line coincidingwith the center of each section ofthe clamp.

Between the two parts of the clamping-name are placed, piled one upon another, as many sheets of paper as there are to be leaves in the book, proper guide-pieces, 3 3, serving to bring the two parts in proper relation to each other, and each part having corresponding slots, 4, running transversely, suitable keys or eyes,56, serving to lock together the two parts and the interposed paper. Guide-marks, shown at 7 and 8, and which may be on both parts of the clamp, serve to aid in placing the pile of paper in proper central posi tion, other and smaller marks, 9 9, serving to guide the eye in a subsequent operation of making holes through the books for stitching. To insure the proper position lengthwise of the sheets before they are clamped tight preparatory to having the holes made, a cross-bar or rib B, of special construct-ion, is secured upon the table C. This rib has its front part, 10, of a height about equal to the thickness oi' the lower part ofthe clamp A, but its rear part is much higher, and stands back from the front a distance precisely equal to that to which the body of paper is to project, in order that it may receive the drill-holesyfor the stitches. YVhen the paper is in the clamp the latter is placed upon the table so that the projecting ends ofthe paper shall be toward the rib. The clamp is slid so as to abut and true itself against the lower part of the rib. The paper is next pushed back u ntil it abuts against and trues itsell against the upper or rear part ofthe rib, and, the sides of the paper being also trued to proper place, the clamp is then tightened up, and the whole is rea-dy to be transferred to the perforating apparatus above named. This part of the apparatus consists of a seriesof revolving bits, l), secured in spindles arranged in a slotted cross-piece, E, so that they may be adjusted at any desirable distance to Aor from each other by means of thumb-screw e, or any appropriate means which will permit their being shift-ed and secured at the proper positions. Each of these spindles is driven by a pulley, through the mediinn of a cord or belt driven froma drum, an ordinary guide-roller, F, serving to keep the cords to position on the pulleys. rlhe drill or perforator which I have shown is a bit having a spiral groove therein, and it does not act, like a mere awl or non-revolving pointed instrument or needle, to force its way through the hard mass of paper against great resistance, as is usual in book-making, nor does it, like such implements,

leave a hole somewhat conical nor having a swelled nor raised bur at either side of the book, which is afterward to be reduced to avoid leaving an uneven surface. On the contrary, my perforator drills a clear hole of uniform diameter, leaving the opposite surfaces of the paper smooth about the hole and in perfect condition for the after operations; and this is of great importance, in view of the character of book I make and the necessity of having the back of every book of a given class quite regular and of uniform surface and thickness, that it may properly fit its removable cover in case such cover is wanted. Instead of having a spiral groove, the bit may be what is known as a pod-bit, or any'other revolving bit which will properly drill the hole. The great advantage and economy of this drilling action upon lpaper grow in a great measure, also, out of the fact that paper, being calendered and also sized, an awl is forced through with great difficulty and much waste of power, only two awls being forced through at one time. With my drills the same amount of power required for two awls will drive twenty drills, besides making far more perfect work and leaving smooth the clean holes and surfaces and largely economizing time. The frame which supports the cross-piece and its revolving bits also supports a vertically-inovable table, G, arranged to rise and fall in side ways or guides, and which is connected, by means of cords and pulleys, with a foot-treadle, the latter serving to lift the table when desired, stops l0* limiting its ascent. This table is constructed with a peculiarly-shaped cross-piece or guidebar,1l, adapted for the application of the slotted clamp before named to the table in proper positions to insure the p erforatin g of the pile of pap er at the proper, and only the proper, lines or points at which the stitchingis to be put into each book near its back edge. The length of this ba-r and its greater horizontal thickness are such that it may enter the slot in the clamp and permit the latter, while holding the paper incloscd, tolie iiush upon the table. The bar has also a rabbet of such height and depth that when the clamp is iirst laid upon the table and slidden up to the bar a portion of the lower side of the projecting end of the paper will rest upon the top 12 of the bar and be supported by it against the pressure of the drill during the drilling operation, a free space between the highest part of the bar and the end of the clamp being left sufficient to prevent the drill from coming in contact with either. The stops l()is prevent the table from rising, when the drilling takes place, high enough to bring it into contact with, and so as to be damaged by the drills. The clamp and paper being thus adjusted in true position, (the lines or marks before mentioned as being upon the clamp, guiding the eye as to the distance from the sides at which the perforations are to be drilled,) the drills, being put in motion, will of necessity and unerrin gly make the holes at the exact predetermined distance from the end of the sheets, which end is to be the back of the first row of books to be formed out of the clamped sheets. One set of holes being thus made, the clamp is shifted laterally, but

still in contact with the ledge or guide-bar H, to bring another set of marks in line with the drills, which are then again put in operation, and this operation. is repeated until all the holes required for that row of books shall have' been made. Next, without unlocking the clamp, it is lifted and put backward until placed over the bar ll, which now lodges in the first cross-slot in the clamp, the latter again lying iiush with the table. Everything is now in readiness for the action of the drills to make a similar set of holes in the body of the clamped sheets, and which holes must come unerringly at the precise points previously determined, near that line at which the sheets are to'be transversely severed. This operation is again repeated until all the drilling required for all the books the sheets are to make has been done. It will be seen that the clamp and bar being made true and properly used, th ere is absolute precision in always having every hole perfectly true and at the same exact distance from that line which is to become the back of the book, and that no calculation is needed, no failure can happen, and a child can attend the machine.

The books may be drilled so as to come back to back before being cut, if desired, by a slight adaptation of the parts for that purpose, as, for instance, by having the vbreadth of the slot made twice as great as the distance that the paper pro- 4 jects from the clamp, and then reversing the clamp after making one set of holes, and repeating the action for another set.

The entire body of paper being thus drilled as required, the clamp and paper are removed from the table and the stitching of the paper together at these perforations is next done by hand. This may be done while in the clamp, or after removing it therefrom, as may be found convenient under different circumstances.

The paper is now cut through both lengthwise and crosswise of the sheet, by hand or any appropriate cutting apparatus, in lines corresponding with the dottedVV lines in Fig. 5, and the whole body now forms a number of books-as many as the size of the sheets could afford. Except the trimming at one end and two sides of the large sheets, no trimming is required, for the lengthwise and transverse cutting itself leaves finished trimmed edges for each book.

The books are next to be passed to a compressing and forming device for the purpose of having a swell or rib put upon each edge at the back. For this purpose a vise, H, is employed, having at each of its inner top edges a bevel, 13, the remainder of the inner faces of the vise being vertical and parallel. When the books are placed in this vise in the position as shown, the outer jaw is, by means of a hand cam-lever, pressed toward the adjustable but stationary jaw h, and the book being compressed to the full extent of the power of the cam, it will reduce the thickness of the book at that point precisely to a predetermined size, while that part of the book which projects beyond the vise will swell and conform itself to the bevels and thus assume approximately the form of ribbed back required. This vise .y un

may be properly styled a preparatory-former, and it leaves the book in a condition to receive a strip to be pasted upon the back for a purpose to be presently named. The outer jaw hf, when released by the cam-lever, is returned by a spring. The inner jaw is made adjustable to any position required by the thickness of the book to be shaped, and, when properly adjusted, a distance is left between the jaws (when the lever has moved the outer one up) exactly to accord with the amount of compression required. A horizontal shelf or rest, I, serves to receive and support the lower end of the book or books, and it is made adjustable vertically by means of a screw, 14, so as to accommodate books of different sizes and to permit the backs of the books to receive any amount of swell desired. While in this vise, or just before placing them there, the backs are moistened, so that they will readily take a set to the bevel shape of the jaws, and they are pressed down to shape by a wooden or other rubber passed over the back.

The books are next passed from this preparatory vise to the self-closing spring-clamps K, which automatically hold them, as shown, the cam-lever k serving` to release them, While so held their backs are glued'by the attendant, and a strip of paper, having its surface also glued, is applied to the back, such strip with the glue giving additional strength and stiii'ness to the back, and also concealing the peri'orations and stitches. As a number of pasters can be kept busy at the same time, I use a number of these clamps upon the same table, and place in convenient reach for all a glue-pot, L, heated by a steampipe and having an exit drain-pipe to keep the wate at the proper elevation.

The books are next removed to the finishingformer M N, which serves to give, by compression, the precise proper and uniform size to all parts of the ribbed back; it also tinishes, straightens, and gives true parallel lilies to all the sides of the back, reducing any inequality which may be left in them after coming from the first former and from the rubbing and gluing operations. The two ribs m m on the nishing-former also set and clamp the glued strip compactly and closely to the paper, while the two grooves n and n in the two parts of the former (making, when it is closed, a connected channel-way) likewise press true, and align the back and fasten the glued strip thereto. That portion of the inner faces of the iinishing-former which is forward of the rib m is cut away so as not to press upon the book. This former is made of a size adapted to a book of a given size, while the jaws of the preparatory-immer are adapted for books of any size. The lower part N ofthe finishing-former I secure to the table, and the upper part I have shown hinged to it, a handle serving to give compression by leverage. The upper part may, how ever, be arranged to slide vertically and act as a drop.

l claiml. The clamping-frame A, made in two parts, each part having cross-openings corresponding with those in the other, and having marks to indic-ate the points at which the sheets are to be periorated, substantially as shown and described.

2. Such clamping-frame, in combination with the table C and its rabbeted cross-bar B, or with the table G and its cross-bar u, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, in a book-making apparatus, of the adjustable revolving bits, a worksupporting table, and the clamping-frame A, substantially as shown and described.

4. rlhe preparatory forming-jaws h h', each formed with a bevel at its upper inner surface, combined with the vertically-adjustable bookrest, substantially as shown and described.

IRA REYNOLDS.

Vit-nesses:

WILMER BRADFORD, WILLIAM Frron. 

